Technology news

• Bill Gates and Neal Stephenson drive into the future in a Tesla in VR

  21-05-2016 23:57
  
  Science fiction meets technology in the very best way in this short three-minute video posted by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates earlier this week. SEE ALSO: This is a video of our future, and it's scary as hell In the video, Gates takes off his tech icon hat and becomes a fan as he meets up with famed science fiction author Neal Stephenson to talk about the latter's latest novel Seveneves . As we mentioned earlier this week, the book is on Gates' summer reading list this year. On his website, G
  
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• Opening door sounds like screaming R2-D2 - CNET

  21-05-2016 22:56 via cnet.com
  
  Watch this viral video of a door in an undisclosed hotel lobby that mimics the famous astromech's signature squeal for help. Star Wars is indeed everywhere.
  
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• Dad uses Tesla's Summon mode to put the fear of robotics into his son

  21-05-2016 22:16
  
  The Tesla's Summon feature is now a well known feature of the electric car — but not everyone is up to date on the car's autonomous mode, which makes playing pranks that much easier. In this case, the prank is played by a father on his son, who innocently sits in the Tesla when it suddenly stirs to life and begins moving. The kid is understandably panicky and even tries asking the car to stop. (Hey, would you have grabbed the wheel at such a young age in that situation? Yeah, right.) The f
  
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• Bill Gates-approved historian says AI will make some people totally useless - CNET

  21-05-2016 21:49 via cnet.com
  
  Technically Incorrect: Yuval Harari's latest book offers a very dark view of the future, one in which some people will have no reason to get out of bed.
  
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• Apple wants you to spend longer in its stores. Why would you do that? - CNET

  21-05-2016 21:13 via cnet.com
  
  Technically Incorrect: Part of a new redesign of its retail outlets includes the notion of the Apple Store as your new town square. Is that an attractive thought?
  
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• Powerful software to assist ticket touts widely available online

  21-05-2016 21:06 via theguardian.com
  
  Despite renewed efforts to clean up the market for tickets in major events, it remains easy to purchase tools that defeat vendors’ security measuresSoftware that helps touts bypass the security systems of major ticketing companies and scoop up tickets at the expense of fans is easily available online – and even comes with YouTube videos to explain how to use it.Scrutiny of ticketing firms and touts has reached fever pitch ahead of a government-backed report into the industry due to b
  
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• Cell phone ringtones get classy makeover on the piano - CNET

  21-05-2016 20:41 via cnet.com
  
  Musician plays popular phone ringtones from Apple, Samsung, AT&T, Nokia, Verizon and more on the piano, making them sound like classical music worthy of a concert hall.
  
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• Insects like you've never seen them before (pictures) - CNET

  21-05-2016 19:00 via cnet.com
  
  A British photographer uses up to 10,000 insect photos to make each of these pieces of stunningly detailed art.
  
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• Bizarre, beautiful insect images made from 8,000 photos - CNET

  21-05-2016 19:00 via cnet.com
  
  What's bugging you? A British photographer painstakingly photographs every section of a specimen's body separately, then combines them for one amazing image.
  
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• I'm ready to ditch the iPhone for Android N, and I want Apple to show me why I shouldn't - CNET

  21-05-2016 18:53 via cnet.com
  
  Commentary: The debut of Android N at Google I/O has this longtime iPhone user tempted to switch. Now, Apple's job is to convince users like me to stay.
  
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• 3 terrific Bowers & Wilkins monitor speakers - CNET

  21-05-2016 18:47 via cnet.com
  
  The Audiophiliac compares the Bowers & Wilkins 685 S2, the CM6 S2, and 805 D3 speakers, and gets an earful.
  
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• Android is boring

  21-05-2016 18:46
  
  At Google I/O this week, the company has shown off tons of new stuff. And although most of the stuff isn’t actually available, that doesn’t mean it isn’t super cool. So much of what Google has shown off at I/O has been interesting. And even if some of that stuff seems to be a response to other companies and products, you can’t say that stuff like Google Home and Google Assistant look compelling. SEE ALSO: Google just revealed its strategy to rule the post-search world. Wi
  
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• New 'Star Trek Beyond' trailer shows the Enterprise attacked and its crew scattered - CNET

  21-05-2016 17:56 via cnet.com
  
  Paramount Pictures has launched the second trailer and poster for "Star Trek Beyond." Plus, details the movie's outdoor premiere for San Diego Comic-Con.
  
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• Lusting after high-end headphones, but can't afford 'em? Buy a used pair! - CNET

  21-05-2016 17:47 via cnet.com
  
  Buy used and step up to the best high-end headphones, without breaking the bank!
  
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• The exceptionally stylish 2017 Mercedes C300 Coupe demands attention

  21-05-2016 17:30
  
  Mercedes-Benz touts the 2017 C300 Coupe as a style car. Admittedly, the German carmaker is right. With a bedazzled grille, sharp sidelines and a butt that would make a Kardashian envious, it's great to look at. SEE ALSO: Three autonomous Mercedes-Benz trucks just platooned across Europe What Mercedes is really admitting by calling it stylish, though, is that the C300 Coupe exists solely because of its design. Moreover, people will choose it not for what it does but for what it represents. I
  
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• Experts say perfect security is elusive at all airports

  21-05-2016 17:16
  
  PARIS (AP) — Explosives in the form of paper, or concealed in a medicine-sized bottle and looking like salt. Tiny electric detonators. Security agents at the main airport in Paris are trained to detect all manner of increasingly sophisticated devices that could doom a flight.
  
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• Huge profits in store for firm that can make a great leap in battery technology

  21-05-2016 17:00 via theguardian.com
  
  The problems of storing and carrying energy for our gadgets and homes are proving difficult to solve. But a breakthrough is sorely neededFrom the phones in our pockets to the cars on our roads, almost everything with an electrical circuit needs a battery. But while the rest of the technology industry has made great leaps over the past couple of decades, batteries have not.The shortcomings of batteries are now one of the biggest bottlenecks in transport, energy, infrastructure and more. Our power
  
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• 'Preacher' moments we're praying for (and one we don't want) - CNET

  21-05-2016 16:00 via cnet.com
  
  Check out these jaw-dropping moments from the "Preacher" comic that we're praying to see in the new TV adaptation.
  
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• 6 moments we want to see in 'Preacher' and one we definitely don't (pictures) - CNET

  21-05-2016 16:00 via cnet.com
  
  The "Preacher" comic book series is packed with great moments we'd love to see in the new TV adaptation.
  
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• Google wants your data to do great things. That's not such a bad deal.

  21-05-2016 15:50
  
  MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — As I watched Google's many unveilings this week, I could sense a certain confidence in the proceedings. That was no doubt partly because the company was, for the first time in 10 years, hosting its Google I/O developer conference at its headquarters in Mountain View instead of San Francisco, so the executives and project managers were literally playing in their own backyard. But I think there was something else at play. Looking back at the opening keynote, CEO Sunda
  
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• Google is bringing better gesture controls to your smartwatch

  21-05-2016 15:15
  
  Cast your mind back to Google IO 2015 and you may or may not remember something called Project Soli: it's the tech giant's plan to improve the way we interact with wearables, using a special 'gesture radar' sensor. The idea is you can flick your fingers to do something on your smartwatch.Well, we've now got a fresh update on Project Soli straight from Mountain View. It looks like the technology is still in the early stages (what have you been doing all year, Google?) but there are actually worki
  
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• Stop turning eating time into life-or-death food photoshoots

  21-05-2016 15:05
  
  Like your mom would tell you when you were a kid: "Stop playing around and eat your damn food before it gets cold." I'm aware this isn't a new peeve (people have been bitching about this for years), but I almost busted a vein the other day when I had to wait until after my friends were done and satisfied  with snapping pics of their ice cream, then mine, then a group shot, before I could even take a bite .   SEE ALSO: 16 apps that will seriously raise your Instagram game By the time th
  
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• Social media 'must tackle ticket fraud'

  21-05-2016 15:04 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Social media sites must do more to tackle online ticket fraud after being used for nearly half of all such scams last year, councils say.
  
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• Apple CEO Cook, Indian Prime Minister Modi meet in New Delhi

  21-05-2016 14:52
  
  NEW DELHI (AP) — Apple CEO Tim Cook laid out his company's plans for the vast Indian market in a meeting Saturday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who in turn sought Apple's support for his "Digital India" initiative focusing on e-education, health and increasing farmers' incomes.
  
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• In depth: How to keep your photos and videos safe: put them on the Moon

  21-05-2016 14:30
  
  How to keep your photos safe: put it on the MoonMain image © Lunar Missions LtdHow do you keep your photos, videos and files safe? Put them on a bunch of cloud servers? Nope – you bury them on the Moon. The hugely ambitious and not-for-profit Lunar Mission One (LM1) is planning to do just that by inserting a couple of digital archives into a borehole in Moon's south pole in the mid-2020s.The perfect vacuum"It's the perfect vacuum," says David Iron, CEO of Lunar Missions Ltd and the fo
  
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• Simplehuman Sensor Mirror Pro Release Date, Price and Specs - CNET

  21-05-2016 14:00 via cnet.com
  
  Soon you'll be able to use your Amazon Echo, Echo Dot or Tap to control Simplehuman's new $250 Sensor Mirror Pro -- whether you want to or not.
  
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• Play the 'X-Men: Apocalypse' '80s a-pop-a-quiz! - CNET

  21-05-2016 14:00 via cnet.com
  
  How much do you know about the '80s-tastic sounds of the latest "X-Men" movie?
  
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• I'm ready to ditch the iPhone for Android N, now Apple needs to win me back - CNET

  21-05-2016 14:00 via cnet.com
  
  Commentary: The debut of Android N at Google I/O has this longtime iPhone user tempted to switch. Now, Apple's job is to convince me to stay.
  
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• Super Mario to invade the movie theater? video - CNET

  21-05-2016 13:50 via cnet.com
  
  Nintendo is trying to get in the movie business. Meanwhile, Google is doing its best to be in your home. Get all caught up in tech right here.
  
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• ​How Samsung plans to be the next Bowers and Wilkins - CNET

  21-05-2016 13:45 via cnet.com
  
  The name "Samsung" evokes images of phones, TVs and maybe even appliances. But the Korean electronics giant is betting big on audio, too. We got a look at the company's California testing lab where its sonic aspirations begin.
  
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• Black cabs blame Uber for rise in attacks on London’s taxi drivers

  21-05-2016 13:26 via theguardian.com
  
  Scotland Yard figures reveal scale of violence on capital’s roads and prompt fresh spat between rivalsA surge has been recorded in violent crimes against London taxi drivers, prompting a fresh spat between Uber and black cabs over who is to blame.New figures from Scotland Yard reveal that violent offences against taxi drivers have risen by more than two-thirds, from 856 in 2014 to 1,403 last year. Black-cab drivers have blamed Uber for the increase, alleging that “poor English”
  
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• Solar-powered plane's latest leg: Oklahoma to Ohio

  21-05-2016 13:25
  
  A solar-powered airplane that landed in Oklahoma last week is headed to Ohio on the latest leg of its around-the-world journey. The Swiss-made Solar Impulse 2 took off from Tulsa International Airport ...
  
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• Citroën Grand C4 car review – ‘It is large enough to live in’

  21-05-2016 12:00 via theguardian.com
  
  The driver’s seat is wide enough for two, and three stone cold enemies could sit in the middle row without compromising their implacable distanceThe Citroën Grand C4 is certainly large – the dash was so wide and deep that I couldn’t reach the front of it; and the windscreen is gigantic, which, along with the glass roof, made the roads feel American. Don’t ask me how that works, I just felt several times as if I were in Wyoming.The driver’s seat is wide enough f
  
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• The iPhone 7 will put an end to your shaky mobile photos

  21-05-2016 11:15
  
  One of the factors to weigh up when choosing between the iPhone 6S and the iPhone 6S Plus is whether you want optical image stabilisation (OIS) - the camera-shake-busting technology is currently only available in the larger handset, which was also the case for the previous year's models too.It sounds like there'll be no such decision to be made this year: analysts are saying that both the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch models are going to have OIS built in when they're unveiled in September.While we won'
  
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• Minister responsible for NBN knew federal police were investigating leak

  21-05-2016 07:49 via theguardian.com
  
  As fallout continues over raids on Labor party, Mitch Fifield appears to contradict AFP commissioner on whether government was aware of inquiryThe communications minister, Mitch Fifield, has confirmed he knew the Australian Federal Police were investigating leaks from within NBN Co but said he did not tell the prime minister.Fifield said on Saturday he had no interaction with the AFP regarding the investigation, including over Thursday’s night’s raids on properties linked to Senator
  
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• Fifield did not tell Turnbull about AFP investigation into NBN leaked docs

  21-05-2016 07:09 via zdnet.com
  
  Australian Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has said that while he was aware of the investigation of leaked NBN documents by the Federal Police, he did not tell other ministers or his prime minister.
  
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• Big updates for Android Auto, big updates on automotive cheaters. (AutoComplete Podcast 19) - Roadshow

  21-05-2016 07:00 via cnet.com
  
  In this week's rundown of the biggest stories, Brian and Tim discuss the latest cheats and shady happenings in the car world, plus all the automotive-related news from Google I/O.
  
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• Wristband that can tell if you've been drinking wins US award

  21-05-2016 04:33 via theguardian.com
  
  Device helps doctors accurately measure patient’s drinking history, and not just depend on most recent testsA San Francisco-based company has won a US government-sponsored competition with an alcohol monitoring devices that can be worn on the wrist, the latest milestone in the development of wearable technologies that monitor and diagnose medical conditions.BACtrack, a privately held medical device maker, took the $200,000 top prize in the National Institutes of Health Wearable Biosensor C
  
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• Apple pulls latest iOS update from iPads after bricking reports

  21-05-2016 03:10
  
  Following complaints that the iOS 9.3.2 update has bricked newer iPads, Apple pulled the latest update for the 9.7-inch iPad Pro. "We're working on a fix for an issue impacting a small number of iPad units that are receiving an error when trying to update the software," Apple said in a statement to Mashable Friday. "We'll issue an update as quickly as possible." SEE ALSO: Apple opens new maps development office in India While the company did not specify which iPads were affected by the
  
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• Your iPhone's Touch ID could unlock the next version of OS X (Apple Byte Extra Cruncy Podcast, Ep. 38) - CNET

  21-05-2016 03:00 via cnet.com
  
  Bugs after bugs are killing our confidence in Apple software. Plus, the iPhone maker wants wireless charging you can walk with, and I visit Apple's new retail store concept in Union Square.
  
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• The teenager obsessed with retro-tech

  21-05-2016 02:47 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The teenager obsessed with retro Apple devices
  
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• Apple orchard

  21-05-2016 02:47 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Fifteen-year-old Alex Jason has a vast collection of vintage Apple devices which he now plans to exhibit near his home in Maine.
  
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• Jack White at Jack in the Box? Fake concerts popping up all over Facebook - CNET

  21-05-2016 02:12 via cnet.com
  
  A fake event invitation for a Limp Bizkit concert at an Ohio gas station creates a wave of false but funny concerts on Facebook. So if you've got tickets to see The Flaming Lips at a botox clinic, get a refund.
  
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• Watch a concussion-reducing robot zoom around the football field

  21-05-2016 02:09
  
  The Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL have started testing a robotic tackling dummy in the hopes it will keep players healthier. The robot, created by current and former students of Dartmouth College, aims to help reduce the number of concussions experienced during practice. Tackling was bannedat Dartmouth College by coach Buddy Teevens in 2010. The coach facedbacklash from football traditionalists for his decision. But, thanks to a fewpassionate Dartmouth engineering students, a robot tackling dum
  
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• First look inside the Mass Effect: New Earth High-Tech Ride video - CNET

  21-05-2016 02:00 via cnet.com
  
  We take you inside and behind the scenes of Great America's Mass Effect: New Earth attraction
  
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• Buying Guide: 5 best 40 and 42-inch TVs of 2016

  21-05-2016 01:55
  
  Best 40 and 42-inch TVsIt's a sign of the times now that 40 and 42-inch televisions are now considered 'small' in TV circles. With the increasing prevalence of 4K resolutions and the drive to upgrade to ever more vast screen sizes this scale of TV has taken a bit of a backseat.Those home cinema folk are haring off towards 55-inch and above.But unless your living room is on a relatively grand scale having a monster 75-inch panel in pride of place, looming over your sofa, is unfeasible. If you're
  
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• Buying Guide: The 10 best 4K TVs of 2016

  21-05-2016 01:50
  
  Best 4K UHD TVs of 2016In a few short years 4K TVs have gone from incredibly niche high-end technology to more or less mainstream. At the budget end of the spectrum 1080p panels still rule the roost, but even at mid-range prices the 4K options are affordable.We're also finally seeing native 4K content become available. Both Netflix and Amazon have updated their services to stream in 4K, and the first Ultra HD Blu-ray players are starting to hit the market. Completely native 4K content continues
  
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• Review: Panasonic TX-40DX700

  21-05-2016 01:36
  
  Introduction and featuresThere's no doubt about it, 4K looks its best on a 60-inch TV. But who has room for a traditional big screen? Not everyone obviously, which is why Panasonic has loaded this 40-inch edge LED-backlit LCD TV with all of its latest tech including, of course, 4K. However, because the panel is so small, a 3840 × 2160 resolution isn't the main reason to buy Pana's 40-inch. No, that distinction goes to the inclusion of high dynamic range (HDR). Promising brighter, more colo
  
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• This robot uses lasers to point at things you've forgotten

  21-05-2016 01:30
  
  The human mind may be good at multitasking and forming habits, but that doesn't mean we're immune to mistakes when we go about our daily routine.Technology is striking yet again with a solution in the form of the Watch-Bot - a silent-observing robot that learns everyday actions and, through machine learning, actually points out when you've forgotten something.Presented as part of the International Conference on Robotics and Automation by researchers from Cornell and Stanford, the Watch-Bot is co
  
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• Wrist-band device for alcohol monitoring wins U.S. prize

  21-05-2016 01:27
  By Mir Ubaid SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A San Francisco-based company has won a U.S. government-sponsored competition with an alcohol monitoring devices that can be worn on the wrist, the latest milestone in the development of wearable technologies that monitor and diagnose medical conditions. BACtrack, a privately held medical device maker, took the $200,000 top prize in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Wearable Biosensor Challenge on Thursday with its wristband monitor, which measures bl
  
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